Development Services Act (Northern Ireland) 1948

2 Power to acquire and carry out works on derelict land. N.I.

(1) Where the Ministry considers that, for the purpose of bringing into use any land which appears to the Ministry to be derelict and likely to remain so for a considerable period or of improving the amenities of the neighbourhood of any such land, it is expedient that the Ministry should acquire that land, the Ministry may, either by agreement or compulsorily in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (3) of this section, acquire that land and any easements or rights in or over any land adjacent thereto.

(2) The Ministry may carry out such work on land acquired under this section as appears to the Ministry to be expedient for enabling the land to be brought into use or for improving the amenities of the neighbourhood thereof.1

(3) Subject to the provisions of section nine of this Act, the Ministry shall, where it desires to acquire otherwise than by agreement any such land, easement, or right as aforesaid, have power to make an order (in this Act referred to as a “vesting order”) vesting such land, easement or right (as the case may be) in it and the provisions of [F1 paragraphs (3) and (4) of Article 10 of, and Schedule 3 to, the Drainage (Northern Ireland) Order 1973 [1973 NI 1] ], shall, with the modifications thereof specified in the next succeeding sub-section, apply for the purpose of the making of vesting orders under this section, and shall have effect in relation to every vesting order so made, as if the said provisions as so modified were incorporated in this Act and in terms made applicable thereto.

(4) The said provisions as applied for the purpose aforesaid shall have effect as if—

(a) references therein to the Ministry of Agriculture were construed as references to the Ministry;

F1 [(b) references therein to the said Order were construed as references to this Act; and

(c) references therein to Article 10 of that Order were construed as references to this section.]

(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in section five of the Stormont Regulation and Government Property Act (Northern Ireland), 1933 [1933 c.6] (which relates to the taking and disposal of land for the public services) the Ministry may—

(a) sell, lease, surrender, or otherwise dispose of, on such terms as it may think fit, any land acquired by it for the purpose of this section;

(b) exchange any such land, and on any such exchange may give or receive any money for equality of exchange;

and the Ministry may impose such restrictions as it may think fit on the user of land held or disposed of under this section and may grant, dedicate or reserve such rights (including public rights) over such land as it may think fit.

F1 1973 NI 1